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2. Short-response prompt (15 points)
Read the following excerpt from the article "What a Bad Flu Season Could Cost
the US Economy":
Tallying the total cost of flu is difficult. In a 2007 article published
in the journal Vaccine, CDC researchers put the total economic
burden at $87 billion annually, in 2003 dollars, counting a
statistical measure that puts a dollar value on lost life. Among
the costs: 3.1 million days patients spend in hospitals, 10 times
as many doctors visits, and 44 million days of missed work. Thb
estimates come with a high level of uncertainty, though:
Researchers calculated the total cost in a range from $47 billion
to $150 billion a year. The CDC is updating these numbers, but
there's no telling when they'll be ready.
Based on the cues you can see in the excerpt (that is, without doing further
research), how would you rate the credibility of the passage? Write a short argument
stating whether or not the information seems credible and objective. You are writing
an argument, so be sure to include a thesis statement and at least one counter
argument. Use specific details from the passage to support your answer.